Lee Colburn

Historical & Critical Studies for Product Design Level 1

Consumption versus Sustainability

January 31
st
2014

Historical & Critical Studies for Product Design Level 1 Lee Colburn

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Is it possible to design and create a product that completely meets a target markets requirements
while simultaneously making sure all materials used in the process are 100% sustainable? This,
without doubt is the goal for any future-minded designer.

It is no doubt a daunting prospect, and one would presume that to ensure consumption never
outweighs sustainability when designing, careful consideration would need to take place.
Material selection, sourcing, manufacturing processes and product end of life recycling
capabilities all need to be green. When you consider this against the cost of production and final
sale price to the public you can understand why some companies decide it is not their main
priority.

If your product can be a money making success by using cheap, harmful, un-recyclable materials
but would fail if costly green materials were used. Many companies in the modern day would
take the money making route. That is harsh business, no matter how depressing it is.

"Sustainable production and consumption involves business, government,
communities and households contributing to environmental quality through
the efficient production and use of natural resources, the minimization of
wastes, and the optimization of products and services."

(Edwin G. Falkman, Waste Management International. Sustainable Production and Consumption: A Business Perspective.)

What Falkman explains here I wholeheartedly agree with. You simply cannot have sustainability
without all parts of the chain working together with the same goal in mind.

For instance, imagine a government that pushed green ways on a community that did not have an
interest in recycling. Or a business that started to increase their prices when using green
materials saw sales dip due to customers not wanting to pay for the techniques used.

It simply doesnt work; everyone needs have that thought in the back of their minds when going
about their day-to-day lives, such as, where does this come from? How is this made? Where does
it go? These questions are rarely asked, it is the out of sight, out of mind philosophy, which is
more commonly used.

Or in other words, ignorance.

And it is these people who need to be educated in how, and more importantly
why, it is so important to think about sustainability before consumption.

So, why is the worrying impact of consumption outweighing sustainability such a big issue now?
Historical & Critical Studies for Product Design Level 1 Lee Colburn

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As time passes and the population increases, it is only natural to see an increase in waste. Social
trends and advertising play a huge part in the demand for companies churning out mass
produced products. If the customer wants something, whatever it may be. There will be a
company to provide it. Money rules the world.

Every year it will be a new model, or a slightly improved version, a new colour choice, or an add-
on. And people will want it. This must have idea is something that marketing companies thrive
on. And personally I think it is a good thing, after all, is this not innovation?

If there were no market for a new product then why would we make them?

The mass production of products is a necessary thing. Everyone should be able to experience
having their desired product, otherwise an even larger social divide of the rich having their toys
and the poor going without would be created. It is the disposal of unwanted or outdated products
that needs to be corrected. But how is this achieved?

Many products are desired after they have become un-used or past their shelf life, but
realistically it is only because they contain valuable materials or properties.

Almost anything can be recycled if there is someone to collect it, sort it,
and reprocess it. The problem is that aside from the most commonly
recycled materials (such as steel, aluminium, glass and paper) no other
recycling systems exist.

(Ann Thorpe, Atlas of Sustainability, 2010)

I agree with Thorpe here, It is not as if every material used in product design cannot be reused
somehow. If there were facilities to turn outdated products, regardless of monetary value, into re-
useable materials this would be ground breaking.

This idea would obviously take years of research and a huge investment from interested
companies or governments but could be implemented worldwide.

Scrap merchants are currently making huge profits from people dumping their unwanted items
at their yards, the general public are so unaware of the value of the items, not necessarily in their
function, but the materials contained inside. All they want is to remove clutter from their homes.

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Imagine environmentally conscious sites that would collect out of date products and turn them
back into useable raw materials. Not for monetary gain, but to reduce to need to source and more
often than not, import, expensive raw materials.

Of course, this idea would all depend on the amount of materials collected and variety of types,
but is it not better than burying it under our homes or setting fire to it and letting it rise into the
atmosphere?

The question still remains about how the issue of sustainability is acknowledged by a large
number of consumers; many are only interested in a cheap, affordable price tag when they come
to buying products. And in the economically worrying time that we currently live in they are
perfectly entitled to do this. They may be interested in green technologies, but simply not be able
to afford it.

There are so many variables that make each person on this planet different that it is very difficult
and in my view, incorrect, to generalize.

With the ever-increasing population and cost of living, product designers are always going to
encounter this problem further down the line. Increasing manufacturing costs to ensure a high
level of sustainability will impact the retail price, and in turn lose a substantial amount of sales.

In an ideal world product designers would be able to source sustainable materials at the same
cost, and same time scale as cheap, mass-produced materials. This is the only way that in reality,
100% sustainability could be achieved.

Consumers would not be able to use money as an option. A sustainable product, versus a non-
sustainable product. There is no choice to be made, a high percentage of the country would
without doubt choose sustainable. It really is that simple in my opinion.

As years pass and the need for sustainability becomes more popular, in need and in some cases,
the law. I am in no doubt that more options will become available to companies and designers to
be far more green than they are at present.
Only then when the cheaper cost of production gets passed on to the consumer, will buying
sustainable really take off with a large percentage of the population.

Companies too have a responsibility to promote sustainability, consumers undoubtedly have
favourite products and brands that they feel attached to. If these companies can successfully
encourage the correct mentality towards change it will have a huge impact in the way these
consumers see the problem of sustainability.

Historical & Critical Studies for Product Design Level 1 Lee Colburn

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Unilever for example are one of the worlds largest consumer goods companies, they provide
food, drinks, cleaning and body care products among others.
They have recently declared their desire to reduce their environmental impact on the world
helping people improve their lives and sourcing all raw materials sustainably.

The challenge of sustainable living requires us all to work together and be
bold and ambitious in our hopes for the future.

(Inspiring sustainable living, Unilevers five levers for change 2011)

This public showing of intent from a highly regarded and popular company can have a massive
impact on consumers mentalities. We often seem to look up to well respected companies. After
all, it is their popularity that makes them so big.

We are a population of trends and seem to flock to what is popular, so this approach from
Unilever is one that I think many, if not all companies should adopt. It is all well and good
practicing these philosophies behind closed doors, but to openly promote and encourage
sustainability to the millions of consumers that they serve can only be a good thing.

Each individual can multiply the positive impact of his or her actions
by the number of people they mobilise to do the same.

(Inspiring sustainable living, Unilevers five levers for change 2011)

By adopting these ideas, large companies has the ability to teach consumers, who may have
mitigating surrounding their ability to take part in sustainable purchasing, the sheer importance
of it.

The progress of green mentality has seen a huge increase since it originally became a concern.
Throughout the decades many movements and groups have been a part of the growth. But it
should not be down to particular people.

We should all have a part of us that ensures future generations can enjoy the same things we do
today, ideally in a cleaner, healthier more efficient way.
It should be second nature, like saying bless you if someone sneezes.

The only way this can be achieved is if we all contribute in some way, regardless of the size. For
example, letting the tap run whilst brushing your teeth. I am sure we have all done this at some
point in our lives, but it is an unacceptable waste. You may not be able to afford the most
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sustainable products or produce, but small steps by everyone can result in big steps for
communities, countries, and the world.

Wasteful consumption needs to be seen as repulsive behavior, it needs to be embarrassing and
something uncool with younger people.
A vast majority of the worlds population, especially in highly developed countries do not
encounter any kind of problems, so it is not in their short-term interests to even consider
changing their lives and habits.

However, the most successful products are the ones that the majority of humans use every single
day regardless of situation. So if it is possible to use these as a stepping-stone to change then why
is this not happening?

Toothbrushes are more often than not, plastic. Why? Does it really make that much significance
to the function of the product, that it is plastic? Why not manufacture it from a material that will
biodegrade over time?

That may be a ridiculous example, but so many products I am sure could be instantly
transformed into something 75%, 50%, 25%, even 1% less harmful to the earth.

We must keep looking forward, especially when designing and developing products. It is not just
the short-term effect of a product that makes it a success. If it cannot be sustained, either from a
material sourcing context, or an end of use disposal view. Then it must be considered a failure.

Two of Dieter Rams 10 Principles of Good Design state this.

Good Design Is Long-lasting

It avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated.
Unlike fashionable design, it lasts many years even in todays
throwaway society.

Good Design Is Environmentally Friendly

Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of
the environment. It conserves resources and minimises physical
and visual pollution throughout the lifecycle of the product.

(Dieter Rams 10 Principles of Good Design)

Historical & Critical Studies for Product Design Level 1 Lee Colburn

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The ten principles are notoriously difficult to stick to in reality, but the two I have highlighted
apply greatly to sustainability. We must at least try, even if it is not clear that we will succeed, to
have one eye on the future and stop living completely in the now.

Companies must aim to protect the world that they serve, consumers must attempt, where
possible, to demand a certain level of sustainability from the products they buy. And
governments must seek out, invest, and spend time researching more efficient ways to provide
for future generations.

We must be able to meet the requirements of the now, without harming the ability of then to
meet their own requirements.

If everyone is working towards the same goal of 100% sustainable consumption then future
generations will know how to carry the social behavior on.

Hopefully this will lead to my thoughts of sustainability becoming second nature, become a
reality.

Historical & Critical Studies for Product Design Level 1 Lee Colburn

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Reading Material

DATSCHEFSKI, E The Total Beauty of Sustainable Design 2001
FALKMAN, E G - Sustainable Production and Consumption: A Business
Perspective 1997
FARMER, John Green Shift - 1996
PACKARD, V The Waste Makers - 2011
THORPE, Ann Atlas of Sustainability 2010
N/A - Inspiring Sustainable Living, Unilevers Five Levers for Change 2011